(No Date) Civil War Store Card F-730A-2A, OH

Coin Details

Description

Civil War-era store card from Drs. Brown & Dills, a Piqua, Ohio business. Ohio produced more varieties of Civil War store cards than any other state, driven by Cincinnati's role as the largest inland city and a Union Army supply hub. Drs. Brown & Dills issued 9 die varieties, more than most Civil War merchants. The copper composition of this variety (Fuld 730A-2A) is common for this merchant. This undated token was struck circa 1862-1864 during the wartime coin shortage. Die sinkers produced these tokens on hand-operated screw presses, often filling orders for multiple merchants simultaneously. The hoarding of federal coinage created an acute shortage of small change, prompting thousands of merchants to issue tokens as practical substitutes. George and Melvin Fuld's catalog remains the standard reference for Civil War tokens, with each variety assigned a unique identification number.

Rarity Notes

Copper strikings are generally the most common metal variant for Civil War store cards, as copper was the standard planchet material mimicking the federal cent. With 9 cataloged varieties, Drs. Brown & Dills was a minor token issuer.

Cross References

Fuld 730A-2A